A child who previously was healthy develops bacterial meningitis. Assuming no specific contraindications, which of the following is the drug of choice?

Penicillins were used in the treatment of meningitis because of their ability to pass across an inflamed blood-brain barrier. The third generation cephalosporin, ceftriaxone, is preferred because it is effective against b-lactamase producing strains of H. influenzae that may cause meningitis in children.Because of the efficacy of third-generation cephalosporins in the therapy of meningitis caused by sensitive S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae type b, cefotaxime (300 mg/kg/24 hr, given every 6 hr) or ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg/24 hr administered once per day or 50 mg/kg/dose, given every 12 hr) should also be used in initial empirical therapy. Patients allergic to b-lactam antibiotics and >1 mo of age can be treated with chloramphenicol, 100 mg/kg/24 hr, given every 6 hr. Another option for patients with allergy to b-lactam antibiotics is a combination of vancomycin and rifampin.Ref: Nelson Paediatrics; 20th edition; Chapter 603 * Central Nervous System Infections; Page no: 2941